Bounce ball game



y 1946 z. PLEBANEK 2,404,552

BOUNCE BALL GAME FiledApril 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l mirzvenio leorzg dZPZemzek Y i filer/29.

July 23, 19 L. z. PLEBANEK 2,404,652

BOUNCE BALL GAME Filed April 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiwent or a WMLeozzarg zPleanek Patented July 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OSFFICELeonard Z. Plebanek, Chicago, 111., assignor of one-third to Charles J.Strebel, and one-third to Anthony Bird Application April 1, 1944, SerialNo. 529,136

V 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bounce ball game which may be substitutedfor the usual pin ball game and concerns itself primarily with astructure in which the balls are projected into space for descensionupon a platform from which they are adapted to bounce toward a targethaving a plurality of target holes toward any one of which the ball maybe projected for registering a score.

It is an object of this invention to provide in such a game a certainamount of skill in the provision of a rotatable projector or cannonwhich is adapted to be swung in azimuth and sighted upon any desiredtarget hole or adjusted thuswise that the projected ball will pass thruthe desired target hole.

It is a further object of this invention to pro vide means for returningthe projected balls to the proper position for permitting the same to beagain projected from the cannon.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of partshereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of thisinvention and in which similar reference characters refer to similarfeatures in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken in a longitudinal directionthru an apparatus involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view taken thru the ballprojecting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus with a part of the coverbroken away and Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken upon the line 4-4 ofFig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In referring to the drawings, it will be noted means as is well known inthe art. The balls that pass thru target holes are adapted to returnthru a hole 8a in the target panel and travel over circuitous paths onthe floor 1 as they strike the pins 12 thereon until they drop ordescend thru an aperture I-3 in the floor I and fall upon the returnrunway floor 6.

The halls descending thru the apertures l3 are adapted to operateelectric switches M for controlling scoring means as is common in suchapparatus. These switches are carried by the bottom of the runway floor6 which it will be noted slopes downwardly toward the :frontend of theaparatus whereby the balls are caused to rollby gravity toward the frontend of the apQ- paratus against the guide I5 (Figs. 3 and 4). The guideI5 which may be in the form of a low wall or rib has a passage l6 towardwhich the lateral portions of the guide converge as shown in Fig. 3.

The passage I6 is normally closed or obstructed by a finger H whichprevents the balls from entering said passage 16. Before a ball from therunway floor 6 can enter the passage IE1, it is necessary to push thefinger ll rearwardly in its guide slot [8 in the floor 6 as shown indotted lines in Fig. 4. The finger I! is on the end of an angular rod I9attached to a slide 20 slida-bly mounted in a coin box bearing 21 andprovided with a coin slot 22. The slide 20 is connected by a spring 23with the wall of the casing and its return or outward movement iscontrolled by a dash pot 24 connected thereto. This dash pot is designedto retard the return movement of the slide 20 to such an extent thatfive balls will that the operative parts of the invention are housed ina casing 5 having a transparent cover 5a which extends downwardly aconsiderable distance at the front end of the casing in ordei to bringthe projector into view from the exterior for sighting purposes. Thiscasing is provided with a lower runway floor 6 for receiving the ballsfrom an upper runway fioor l.

A target plate or panel 8 rises from the runway floor I at a rearwardslope. This target plate is provided with target hole 9 thru which theplayers try to have the balls pass after they pass or bounce from thefloor 1 which is provided with a steel insert I'll upon which theballsarea dapted to drop for bouncing toward the panel target. The balls thatpass thru target holes are adapted to close electric switches II thatcontrol scoring pass from the playingfield into the passage [6 beforethe passage is again obstructed by the finger. These five balls may beobtained by the insertion of a coin and may be used to constitute aplayers allotment.

The passage 16 communicates laterally with the lower portion of a bore25 in a tube-like member 26 and a rotatable projector orcanncn 21 whichrotatably telescopes in the upturned end of said member as shown in Fig.2. It will be noted that the upper end of the member 26 curves and thatthe projector 21 extends vertically for a distance and then curves intoa straight por tion 21a which is slightly tilted in an upward directionfor retaining the balls in the bore of the projector by friction. Thecurved portions of the bore allow the balls to freely move therein. Itwill be noted that the bore 25 is normally filled with balls 28 so thatan impact from one to the other can be used for discharging them one ata time from the projector 21.

an impact ball in that it is never projected but always remains incontact with the plunger head. To maintain said ball 28a in its impactposition,

suitable projections or lugs 3| are preferably pr-' 29 and release thesame, whereby the spring 39 will snap the plunger back. and cause itshead 29a to strike the first ball 28a and impart an impact to the seriesof balls for discharging the foremost ball in the series. The dischargedball will take a trajectory similar to the dotted line 48 shown in Fig.1 and descend upon the bouncing platform Ill from which it will bouncetoward the target panel along a line indicated by the reference 49 andenter a target hole 9 and eventually registering a score provided, ofcourse, that the i player made a perfect shot. To fire the second videdin the bore 25 slightly in advance of said I ball 28a as shown in Fig.2. When the plunger 29 is pulled outwardly and released, the spring 30which has been put under tension, will snap the plunger back and causeits head 29a to strike the ball 28a and impart to it an impact whichwill be transmitted thru the whole series of balls and cause the end orfurthermost ball to be discharged vfrom the projector and descend uponthe receiving plate I0 and bounce therefrom toward the target panel or atarget'hole therein depending upon the skill of the played in adjustingthe projector as will later more fully appear.

After a ball has been discharged, it is necessary to advance the seriesof balls in the bore 25 the distance of the diameter of one ball inorder to bring the outermost all into discharging position. Mechanismfor accomplishing this purpose has been provided in the provision of arock pawl 32 which is secured upon a rock shaft 33 below the floor 6.This pawl 32 extends thru a suitable slot 34 (Fig. 2) in the floor 6 andis adapted for engaging the ball adjacent the impact ball 28a and shiftthe same with the entire series ahead into the position shown in Fig. 2whereby a space is provided between the first two balls for the entranceof a ball by gravity from the passage It as shown in Fig. 2. A holdingpawl 35 which is pivoted to the'wall of the tube-like member 25 extendsthru a slot 36 therein and holds the series of balls in their advancedposition by its contact with the lowermost ball in the advanced series.A hand operated rod 31 which extends thru the front wall of the casingis connected to the rock shaft 33 by means of the crank arm 38. A coilspring 39 connects said rod 3! with the casing for normally drawing andholding the shaft 33 and pawl 32 in inoperative position, The series ofadvanced balls are held in proper position by a spring pressed frictionpad 21b mounted in a slot cut in the end of the projector 21 andsupported by a leaf spring 210 (Fig. 1).

The projector 21 in addition to its telescopic bearing is rotatablymounted in a bearing 40a on a bracket 40 supported upon the runway floor6. A suitable gear 4| is secured upon the projector 21 between thebearings and this gear is engaged by a small gear or pinion 42 (Fig. 3)fast upon an operating rod 43 journalled in a bearing 44 on said bracket40 and extending thru the front wall of the casing where it is providedwith-an operating handle 45.

ball, the player must push the rod 31 inwardly and swing pawl 32rearwardly and advance the series of balls minus the ball 28a thedistance of one ballas shown in Fig. 2. A ball from the passage I6 willnow roll by gravity into the vacant space between the ball 28a and thefirst ball in the advanced series thereby loading the apparatus for asecond shot. In this manner, a player may fire five balls from theprojector.

After five balls have been fired as. above explained, it becomesnecessary to replenish the supply passage I6 by inserting a coin andpushing By turning the operating handle 45 and its gear 42, theprojector 21 will be rotated in azimuth. The straight portion 21a of theprojector is preferably provided with a sighting barrel or portion 46(Fig. 1) having a sight 4'! thereon.

In Figures 1, 3 and 4, the apparatus is shown with five balls inposition for a player to make five shots.- Such player will adjust theprojector, if necessary. and sight the same upon one of the target holes9. He will then pull out the plunger the slide 20 inwardly to open themouth of the passage for the entrance of the five fired balls whichshall have been returned, before another operation.

Thus by inserting a coin, and pushing in the slide 20, a player puts themachine in position for firing'five balls as heretofore explained. It ishence unnecessary to employ an attendant in connection with the use ofsuch an apparatus.

Then the features of sighting the projector at the target and firing theballs therefrom into space for descending and bouncing in the directionof the target produces a far more interesting game than the common formof. pin .ball game now in use. Thru theadjustments of the projector, acertain amount of skill comes into play which greatly enhances the valueof the game.

I am aware that many changes may be made and various details ofconstruction may be varied Without departing from the principles of thisinvention so I do not propose limiting thepatent byranted thereonotherwise than necessitated the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a device of the class described, a ballprojecting mechanism including a member having a bore for receiving aseries of balls in contacting relation, means for projecting said balls,a'runway floor for receivingsaid balls after projection, means defininga ball guideway from said runway floor to the bore in said member, meansfor controlling said guideway for thepassage of a pre determined numberof balls, means for advancing said series of balls in said bore, meansfor retaining said series in such advanced positionv and means foradvancing a ball from said guideway into said bore into contactingrelation with said series.

2. In a device of the class described, a ball projector having a borefor receiving a series of balls in contacting relation, means forprojecting said balls one at a time, a return runway for the projectedballs including a passage leading to said bore, means for controllingsaid passagefor the passage of a predetermined number of balls,

' LEONARD Z. PLE BANE K,

